Double and single coating device



A ril 28, 1936. F'. P. CARLSON DOUBLE AND SINGLE COATING DEVICE Filed June 28, 1934 INVENTOR I'zzmkP ('arZp'ozz,

1115; ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

for propelling the work while being coated, the

work consisting of individual sheets which are successively manipulated, fed into, propelled through, discharged from and thus moved solely by the coating means of the device in a required continuous order, or/and timed in desired sequence.

Another object of this invention is the process of continuously and uniformly applying coating to work without gripping it during, prior to and after the application of the coating by accurately timing the approach of the work to the applying device and by maintaining the position of the work at a desired relation to the direction of progress of the work, while relying entirely upon the coating applying means for the propulsion of the. work through the latter.

Another-object of this invention is to provide a gripper-less coating device for individual sheets of work in a predetermined, continuous succession, and in which device each individual work piece is successively manipulated so as to assume a predetermiriedposition relative to the-coating applying device prior to,-duringand after the coating operation. I

Another object of this invention is to provide a feeding mechanism where a stack of work is successively elevated, until the top work-piece reaches a'take-up position, at which position the work pieces are separated from one another, in dividually dispatched towards a feed-in conveyor, and while being conveyed their position is being controlled by a specially designed means, which latter are adapted to maintain the work pieces at a certain iangle relative to their direction of travel.

Still another object is to so design the present device as-to provide a moving support for individual work pieces during .the period of their being supplied with a coatingyand while being propelled by the coating applying means alone,

and without the use of grippers or other means of propulsion.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for'so timing the travel, approach, speed and distance between the work pieces as to allow 5 a continuous operation of the device until the last work piece'is reached.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a drying mechanism, adapted to form a continuation of the feed-in means of the device, 10 and further adapted to convey and at.the same time dry the coated work pieces issuing from the coat applying mechanism.

A further object of this invention is to so design the drying device as to allow its being adjusted to any size or type of work requiring either a rapid or a gradual drying operation.

The foregoing and a great many further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the fol- 0 lowing description, in connection with the appended drawing, forming part of this disclosure and representing more or less a diagrammatical illustration of the basic principles of the present invention. In the drawing Fig. 1 is a plan view of my device,

Fig. 2 is an end view, partially in section, of the drier of my device,

, Fig. 3 is a fractional elevation of my device held in purely diagrammatical form, partially in cross-section, taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1,'a'nd Fig. 4 is a diagrammatical illustration'of a modified form of my device used for coating work on one face only.

' Referring now specifically to the figures, numeral l0 denotes a work support and work elevator of my device upon which is stacked a pile of individual sheets, indicated at I I, which are preferably guided by adjustable marginal means I! and I3, for the purpose of keeping the.'stacked 40 ,up work in proper'relation to the other mechanism of the device. In Figure 3 is'indicated at H a work-edge holder adapted to bear, against the outer edge of the work. This work-edge holder is preferably under a' slight tension, in- 45 duced by either a weight or a spring, not shown in the drawing, and is adjustablein order to accommodateit to the movement of the work-as the latter is being elevated.

Secured adjustably within the base plate lllare 5 provided blow pipes l5, arranged at the sides and in the front of the stacked-up work, and are' intended to direct gusts of air against the upper layers, whereby the sheets are, so to speak, held in animated suspension for the purpose of per- ,3

mitting their individual separation and feeding towards the mechanism for applying the coating.

In Figure 3 there will be observed over the top sheet of the stacked-up work a suction device l6 which is operated by a series of lever arrangements I'I so as to first descend, then ascend, and i then move forwards. Through these combination movements the top sheet of the work is dispatched from its animated suspension to a position at which the sheet may be taken up and fed into the coating device.

In order to prevent the top sheet from buckling or working upwards, while being subjected to the air blasts from pipes I5, a pair of rollers l8, mounted on an adjustable arm arrangement l9, are held above the sheet and limit its upward movement.

Adjacent to the stacked-up work there will be seen a delivery or feed-in conveyor 20, above which is adjustably mounted a pair of-resilient position-controlling rollers 2 I, rotatably lodged at 22.

These rollers are held in an adjustable frame- 23 under tension which latter is supplied by a spring arrangement 24, controlled by adjusting means 25. The left hand end of the feed-in conveyor 20 passes into the coating mechanism and forms a support for the work while the same is being coated. For the purpose of separating or stripping the coated sheet from the coat-applying mechanism, a work deflector 26 is provided above the conveyor and is so designed as to be adjustable and resilient.

Conveyor 20 consists of a conveyor roller 21, conveyor pulleys 28, which are adjustably mounted on a shaft 29, and a plurality of conveyor belts 30. Note that the position controlling rollers 21 are mounted between belts 30 and do not, therefore, in any way come in contact with the belts, but rather bear against the roller 21. This feature is very important, inasmuch as the proper operation of work position controlling rollers 2| depends thereon.

Thecoating mechanism comprises a fountain or well 3i filled with a coating substance, as for instance, ink, glue, varnish, or the like, and in which operates a supply cylinder 32; The amount of the coating carried by the latter is controlled by a smaller cylinder 33, which is preferably mounted in adjustable bearings and under spring tension, and is adapted to bear against cylinder 32 Upon the adjustment of cylinder 33 relative to the cylinder 32 depends the thickness of the coating film, and may be regulated at will.

Above and in contact with supply cylinder 32 are adjustably mounted primary applying rollers 34. Their number varies inaccordance with the requirements of the work, however, in the drawing are shown only two such rollers. Disposed above rollers 34 are the secondary applying rollers 35, in the same number as primary applying rollers 34. In cooperation with the secondary applying rollers there will be seen distributor rollers 36 which are so mounted as to both rotate and oscillate. They are intended for the distribution of the coating material, picked up from the primary applying rollers 34 by the secondary applying rollers 35, over the working surface of the latter. The distributor rollers 36 are employed in the device where it is desired to simultaneously apply coating at both faces of the work. They may be, however, omitted, as in Figure 4, where it is desired to coat the work at one of its faces only. The positions changed, to accommodate work of different width.

At the left hand end of the coating arrange-.

of rollers 34 and 35 may be ment there will be observed a drierfconsisting of frame work 31, which latter supports a drying conveyor consisting of a shaft 38 and a plurality of pulleys 39 over which run belts 40. Below the conveyor there are adjustably mounted heaters 4|, and at the sides, and extending above the conveyor, there will be seen adjustable heat retainers and deflectors 42.

Referring now particularly to Figure 4, there is illustrated a feed-in conveyor 20' and drier conveyor 40', while the same arrangement of pan 3|, supply roller 32', supply control roller 33' and the primary applying roller 34' are shown arranged in the same manner as described in connection with Figure 3. The secondary applying roller 35 is of a larger diameter than roller 35 in Figure 3; that difference, however, is merely assumed for the purpose of more readily explaining the process by means of which only one face of the work is coated: It will be also observed from Figure 4 that the upper distributor rollers 36 (shown in Figure 3), are omitted,

In order to more clearly point outthe difference between the simultaneous .coating of both faces of the work, as in Figures 1 and 2, and the coating of but one face of the work, in, the device illustrated in Figure 4, it is to be noted that in the first mentioned arrangement the coatin transferred from supply roller 32 to primary applying roller 34 is not used entirely for coating of the lowersurface of the work, but a portion of the coating remaining on roller 34 is transferred to roller 35, from which the coating, after having been distributed by oscillators 36, is aplied to the upper surface of the work.

In the modified form of Figure 4 the following takes place: The coating is transferred from cylinder 32' to roller 34. From this roller the lower surface of the sheet, marked 43', is coated.

The circumference of roller 35 is so chosen as to practically correspond to the length L of the sheet 43, with the exception of a slight space, indicated at X, Length L of the sheet 43 corresponds to themarked portion C of the rollers circumference, and, of course, is equal to length L of the already coated sheet 43. Inasmuch as the sheets are delivered to the coating mechanism at certain uniformly timed intervals, and since the sheets are of equal length, they automatically become uniformly spaced from one another. Now as one sheet reaches rollers 34 and 35', it is taken, gripped and propelled by them and passes between them until discharged. The coatin rollers, therefore, perform the double duty of applying the coating and propelling the work while being coated. This operation is greatly assisted by the construction of the working surfaces of the rollers, which are made resilient,

preferably by a layer of rubber. The next sheet following sheet 43 engages with its leading or front edge roller 35' at the same spot as did sheet 43 and sheet 43'. In other words, while roller 35', so to speak, rolls over sheet 43, the part of the roller surface coming in contact with the upper face of the sheet cannot pick up any of the coating from roller 34, and therefore cannot transfer any coating upon the corresponding face portion of the next following sheet. There will be, of course, some of the coating left at the space X which, however, will not transfer upon any portion of the upper faces of the sheets, since space X forms a gap between the sheets and since distributing oscillators 36 are omitted.

" leading edge of the sheets relative to rollers 34' and 35'. The slightest variation in the sheets position will prevent proper functioning of the device.

The correct approach of the sheets is governed by the aforedescribed resiliently mounted sheet positioning roller 2|. The very slightest adjustment of these rollers relative to'conveyor cylinder 21 will alter the position of the sheet relative to its direction of travel. It is essential that the adjustment of rollers 2| is made accurately so that the leading edges of the work sheets are conveyed towards rollers 34 and 35 at exactly right angles to the direction of their travel, if it is desired that the coating is applied parallel to that direction of travel, or in case of a square sheet of work, parallel to its sides. It is of course obvious that by adjusting rollers ill the sheets may be positioned, and propelled by the feed-in conveyor at various angles towards the rollers.

The correct adjustment of the work and the control of its position during and in relation to the direction of its travel is important whilecoating either one or both faces of the work. The double coating device as illustrated in Figure 3 may be readily converted into a single or one-face coating device by simply eliminating distributors or oscillator 36. Of course care must be taken that the length of the work does not exceed the circumference C (Fig. 4) of the upper applying rollers. The latter may be greater, but it is preferred that the space X is maintained as short as possible, whereby the speed of the machine is greatly enhanced. It is, therefore, advantageous to employ secondary'applying rollers (which do not apply any coating) of a circumference which practically registers with the length of the work. For this purpose I prefer to so construct the device as to readily facilitate an exchange of rollers to suit the given requirements.

An important feature of this device is the width proportions of the supply cylinder and the applying rollers, and the arrangement of the supply "and coating-controlling cylinder 32 (32') and 33 (33'), respectively. The latter is disposed above the coating material, whereas the supply cylinder operates within the latter. Any undesirable surplus. coating material is rolled back into fountain 3| or 3| so that only a film of a desired thickness is retained upon the surface of the supply cylinder. It will be noted that no side-scrapers bearing against the end faces of cylinder 32 (32) and 33 (33) are provided, since they are entirely unnecessary. Inasmuch as the applying rollers are much narrower than the supply cylinder, and since they are disposed at a considerable distance from the end faces of the latter, the transfer of the coating film from,

the supply cylinder onto the applying rollers is absolutely uniform over. their entire contacting surfaces. Moreover, this arrangement effectively precludes any undue accumulation of coating material at the side faces of the applying rollers.

When it is desired to employ 'the device for but a single-face coating operation, care must be taken tha the supply of sheets is not interrupted. In the event one sheet misses, the upper applying roller will take up coating material from the lower applying roller, and the next sheet will become coated at both faces For this reason I prefer to equip the machine with a tripper device, not shown, which will automatically stop the machine and raise the upper roller, in case the sheet supply becomes either interrupted or otherwise irregular. A noteworthy improvement of this invention consists of the fact that when single-face coating is desired the coating is applied at the bottom surface of the work, which method possesses a number of advantages over heretofore employed coating methods whereby the upper work surface is coated. This applies particularly to work where only the side edges or margins are to be covered.

One of the vital features of this device resides in the gripper-less propulsion of the sheets prior to reaching, while traveling through and after being discharged from the coating applying means, and the manner by which these latter means are employed for not only coating the work, but also for propelling it while being coated. Although such mode of operation may appear simple when work of relativelystiff material is used, suchas sheet metal, cardboard or the like,

' no attempts, to my knowledge, were ever made heretofore to manipulate pliable material, such as single paper sheets, in the aforesaid way. The propulsion of the sheets through the applying device is accomplished by the direct forcible contact of the applying rollers with one another, in places where no sheet intervenes, and by the combined compression of the sheet-by both rollers, where the sheet is engaged by them. It is to be borne in mind, of course, that the rollers are resilient, and that by virtue of their resiliency the desired propulsion operation of the sheets is made possible. I

I Although I have shown and described various specified features of my device and of the method, whereby I propose to accomplish the desired coating and sheet propulsion effects, be it understood that neither the drawing nor the description is intended to limit my invention to the disclosure only. I, therefore, reserve for myself the right to improve, modify, or dilate upon the principal and working arrangement of my idea within the broad scope thereof, as set forth in the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. In a gripper-less device. for coating individual pieces of work in a continuous succession, a feeder mechanism, comprising in combination, a work separating means designed for manipulating each individual piece of work and for moving it for a limited distance forwards, a feeder conveyor, in cooperation with said work separating means, work position-controlling means in cooperation with, and disposed at one end of said feeder conveyor, comprising resilient, tension controlled, individually adjustable members adapted to contact with the face of the work, a plurality of work coating means in cooperation with and disposed within the operating range of said feeder conveyor, and a work drier in cooperation with and adjacent to that other feeder conveyor.

2. In a. gripper-less device for superimposing a coating or the like on either one face, or simultaneously on both faces of individual pieces of work in a continuous succession, a plurality of coating supplyingand coating ,applying means, fed from a-single source of supply and provided with coating controlling means, a work feeding mechanism consisting of work separating means and a feed-in conveyor, the latter extending into,

the range of operation of, and adapted to convey the work to said coating means and to support it while being coated, said work separating means end of said.

adapted to lift and propel to said feed-in conveyor single pieces of work in a predetermined-succession, individually adjustable, tension controlled work positioning means forming part of said feeder mechanism and located above said feed-in conveyor, and comprising a pair of resilient, adjustable, revolving members, adapted to contact with the upper face of the work, and a drier mechanism in cooperation with and forming the continuation of said feed-in conveyor, and adapted to propel and dry the coated work issuing from said coating means.

3. In a feeder mechanism of a gripper-less coating device, a feed-in conveyor, work position controlling means in cooperation therewith and comprising a pair of resiliently mounted, individually adjustable, resilient rollers adapted to contact with the upper face of the work supported by said conveyor, and further adapted to regulate the position of the work relative to the direction of its travel.

4. In a device as set forth in claim 2, said drier mechanism Qcomprising an adjustable, multiple belt-conveyor, a plurality of adjustable heating means below said conveyor, and heat deflecting and retaining means adjustably mounted relative to both the conveyor and said heating means.

5. In a device as set forth in claim 2, said coating supplying and applying means comprising, a supply cylinder operatively mounted in a supply fountain, a supply governing cylinder in cooperation with said supply cylinder, a relatively narrow primary applying roller in cooperation with, and adjustably and removably mounted relative to said supply cylinder, and an adjustably mounted secondary applying roller in cooperation with said primary applying roller, said supply cylinder and both applying rollers having resilient working surfaces.

6. In a gripper-less device of the class described, coating applying means consisting of a single, relatively long supply cylinder provided with means for controlling the amount of the coating supply, removably mounted relatively narrow primary and secondary applying rollers in cooperation with, and adjustable relative to said cylinder, a feed-in conveyor and a work deflector in cooperation with and within the operating field of said applying rollers, individually adjustable, resiliently supported work position controllingmeans in cooperation with said conveyor, work feeding and separating means in cooperation with said conveyor and said position controlling means, and work drier means adjacent to said coating applying means and forming a continuation of said feed-in conveyor.

FRANK P. CARLSON. 

